Zachary's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly as Skylar continued talking beside him, his small voice brimming with excitement and innocence.
Every word carried a kind of happiness that should have eased his mind. In many ways, it did. Seeing his son smile so freely was something he would never take for granted.
But the warmth came with a familiar ache. His son did not know the truth. He did not know that Sienna was his biological mother, or that the woman he called "Aunty" had once held him in her arms before circumstances tore them apart.
And—
Whenever Skylar spoke about Sienna with innocent affection, Zachary felt both grateful and guilty.
The car fell quiet as they turned into the driveway of Orchid Garden Apartment. The morning light stretched across the glass entrance, and Zachary slowed to a stop near the curb.
"Daddy, look... look... Aunty Sienna!" Skylar bounced in his seat and pointed through the windshield.
